Wisp (Sonic the Hedgehog)
are creatures that appear in the ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' series. They are a diminutive, yet powerful alien species from Planet Wisp, although they can be found on many other planets across the universe. During one of Dr. Eggman's plots, the Wisps were kidnapped and enslaved by the doctor until Sonic the Hedgehog freed them. While most of the Wisps went home after that, some of them decided to stay on Sonic's world after taking a liking to it. Now, in remembrance of Sonic's deeds, the Wisps are ready to offer him and his allies help whenever needed.Sonic Team (25 February 2015). Sonic Runners. iOS. Sega. Area/level: Episode 6. "Tails: He said everyone else followed Mama Wisp back to their home planet... but that he liked it here, so he stayed behind! / ... / Tails: No, he says there are others who stayed behind, too. He says they all remember who you are Sonic, and he's sure they'd be happy to help you!" There are numerous breeds of Wisps, each with its own special ability and personality traits. When a Wisp enters a person, they bestow upon them a certain Color Power that grant them new and powerful abilities. Concept and creation Takashi Iizuka stated in an interview that the Wisps were added to Sonic Colors to "expand and strengthen the platform action gameplay" without forcing the player to switch to other playable characters. Another goal was to encourage players to revisit already-played levels; Sonic Team accomplished this by adding segments requiring certain types of Wisps to levels preceding their first appearances. Following the success of Sonic Colors, Iizuka has stated that he now considers them a staple in the Sonic series. Since then, the Wisps have appeared in multiple successive Sonic titles. Description Anatomy The Wisps are composed entirely of Hyper-go-on.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Sweet Mountain. "Tails: So anyway, these aliens are made up of a REALLY powerful energy source called Hyper-go-ons. It's inside of them... / Sonic: Like a battery? / Tails: No... Well... Sort of. It's their life source. You only got a taste of it and look at what happened. "Battery" is sort of an understatement." Overall, they are similar, both in appearance and in motion, to underwater cephalopods such as squids. Physical characteristics all Wisps share include a "head" with tentacles stemming from the bottom. during infancy.]] Regular Wisps have three tentacles each. Their skin color, body shape and number of eyes (ranging from none to three) is determined by their breed. During infancy, regular Wisps have much softer body proportions and shorter tentacles. As they mature, their tentacles get longer and their features become more pronounced. Also, regular Wisps do not get much taller than half a meter. Mother Wisp is an unique breed of Wisp in terms of anatomy, being almost eight meters tall and resembles more that of a jellyfish with four very long tentacles. The Nega-Wisps, a sub-breed of Wisps, have their own special anatomy: while they have the head, size and tentacles of their counterparts, they have no eyes, dark skins, and possess wide mouths with sharp teeth. Characteristics and culture The Wisps are a halcyon and social species, and are as much sentient beings as the dominant races on Sonic's world, such as humans. Wisps come in several known natural breeds that determine their appearance and powers. While each breed of Wisp tend to lean towards a certain set of characteristics,Sonic Colors (Wii) European instruction booklet, pg. 15-17.Sonic Colors (Nintendo DS) European instruction booklet, pg. 10. the Wisps are overall peaceful, playful, non-hostile and friendly of nature, and enjoy spending most of their time playing with others. If a Wisp has its Hyper-go-on taken however, it will turn into a primal and violent form known as a "Nega-Wisp."Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. Area/Level: Starlight Carnival. "Tails: He says that if you take a Wisp's Hyper-go-on energy he becomes a Nega-Wisp." The Wisps appear to possess no technology to speak of and have an extremely minimal level of urbanized civilization, such as simple tree slides. Instead, they live a simple and naturalistic lifestyle that is in harmony with the nature of their homeworld. The Wisps have their own unique verbal language, which comes off as an incomprehensible, warbling sound to those on Sonic's world.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). 'Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Tails: I wish I knew what you were saying, little guy. Or gal. Or whatever you are." Powers and abilities The Wisps are an extremely powerful race, especially when they work together. All Wisps are able to levitate at will, which serve as their main method for movement. All Wisps have the natural ability to generate and store Hyper-go-on, an extremely powerful energy source, inside their own bodies, which is their life source. Each breed of Wisp generates its own distinct version of this energy, resulting in Hyper-go-ons with different effects. When combining their collective Hyper-go-on, the Wisps are capable of unbelievable feats. These include carrying objects through levitation, move at nearly unreachable speeds, undo the mutation on Nega-Wisps, restrain and extinguish black holes made from negative Hyper-go-on, and even teleport planets. Color Powers Each breed of Wisps possesses a distinct power known collectively as Color Powers. Using their Hyper-go-ons, the Wisps can phase into the bodies of other beings and lend them a small fraction of their power to temporarily grant them special abilities, such as laser mimicry, enhanced burrowing, elemental powers, forms for flight, etc. The Color Power depends on the Wisp's breed. However, the user can only carry one Wisp at a time to utilize a Color Power's full potential.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. "Tails: He also says only one colored Wisp will fit into the gauge at once, so to use its power again, you need to free another one." History Past thumb|200px|left|Different Wisps playing on Planet Wisp. The Wisps live on a lush planet known as Planet Wisp,Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. Tails (translating Mother Wisp's speech): "I was so worried when our planets were pulled apart from one another."" which was created by the progenitor of all Wisps: Mother Wisp.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. "Tails (translating Yacker's speech): "Mama gave us life and raised us. She even made the planet we live on.""Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. "Tails (translating Mother Wisp's speech): "Thank you for helping my children. I am Mother Wisp."" This being gave life to all known Wisps and raised them as her children. In time, the Wisp would populate other areas of space, such as Sweet Mountain, Starlight Carnival, Aquarium Park and Asteroid Coaster. ''Sonic Colors'' Prior to the events of Sonic Colors, the Wisps were kidnapped by Dr. Eggman (whom the Wisps named "Baldy Nosehair") when the doctor used his tractor beam generators to pull their planets across the universe and place them in orbit around Sonic's world.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Planet Wisp. "Tails: Yeah, they're totally freaked out. It sounds like they're in shock because of public transportation and a loony nurse. Oh, no wait, scratch that. They're in shock because of their planet's strange transformation and having been dragged across the universe! / Sonic: Well I still can't believe he kidnapped a whole planet. How do somebody do that? / Tails: They are saying it was either ice cream or a tractor beam." Eggman then made the planets a part of his interstellar amusement park, which the doctor had built under the pretense of making up for past transgressions, by chaining them to the Egg Mecha with the aid of his generators.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Starlight Carnival. "Sonic: Do we know how Eggman is getting all these aliens? / Tails: Yeah. Yeah. At first I thought Yacker was talking about how Baldy Nosehair was using burps to do it. / Sonic: Hmmm, he is pretty gassy. Maybe the smell would knock 'em out. I dunno, something doesn't seem right with that. / Tails: That's what I said! It made no sense. Then I made a TINY adjustment and realized he was saying "generators." / Sonic: So no burps? That's a relief. / Tails: Tell me about it. So basically, Eggman is using five tractor beam generators to hold their planet in orbit while he scoops the aliens all up. / Sonic: Hold a whole planet?! / Tails: Well, it's tiny, but still... yeah. / Sonic: Ok fine. Five generators? Well, I've already leveled two. / Tails: So, if my math is correct that leaves us three more of these bad boys to take out. / Sonic: Nobody said there'd be math, but I'm with you, buddy! / Tails: We should get moving. Yacker says the aliens don't have much time."Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Dr. Eggman (over intercom): Welcome to Eggman's Incredible Interstellar Amusement Park, where you can enjoy five planets for the price of one!"Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Dr. Eggman (over intercom): This amusement park has been constructed entirely out of a sense of remorse for my past." The Wisps, now scattered across the amusement park, were then steadily scooped up by Eggman's forces and taken to a factory in Asteroid Coaster to be drained of their Hyper-go-on, which Eggman used as fuel for a mind control cannon to take over the universe with.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Starlight Carnival. "Dr. Eggman: Me? I did nothing at all. Unless shooting him with my mind control beam that runs on alien energy counts as doing something to him. Does it?"Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Starlight Carnival. "Dr. Eggman: And then I won't just control one little punk, but the whole universe."Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Asteroid Coaster. "Sonic: What is this place? Whoa. This is where he converts them into the strange... negative... aliens with the freaky energy." The Hyper-go-on drainage process also produced thousands of Nega-Wisps, whom Eggman forced to carry out his orders and further power his mind control cannon.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. Area/level: Asteroid Coaster. Sonic: What IS this place?! Whoa. It looks like he's converting them in some way. / Tails: Eggman must have modified them to power his mind control device." Other sources reveal that Mother Wisp got captured by Eggman too and turned into the Nega-Mother Wisp after he took her Hyper-go-on. However, the Nega-Mother Wisp could not be controlled and eventually escaped captivity.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. Dr. Eggman: Oh ho ho ho! After nabbing that giant alien, the mind-control cannon is nearly full! Now go herd up the rest of those aliens on the double!"Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. Area/level: Asteroid Coaster. Tails: Give me just one second and I'll crack his system wide open. Project "Mother" a success... Massive energy source secured. "Mother" beyond control. Subject escaped. Current whereabouts unknown. Looks like the results from some experiment." Eventually, a White Wisp named Yacker and a Cyan Wisp were saved by Sonic the Hedgehog, who had come to the amusement part with Tails to stop Eggman,Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Tails: No doubt, but now I'm not sure why we're here? This place looks totally harmless! / Sonic: Because Eggman plus secretly built amusement park equals evil plot for us to foil. Lucky for us he's not very good at keeping things hidden." when Orbot and Cubot attempted to capture them. This prompted the Cyan Wisp to give Sonic his first Color Power. While Sonic went to work foiling Eggman's operations, Yacker met Tails, who began turning his handheld into a Wisp translator so he could understand Yacker's language.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Tails: Oh. I was reconfiguring my hand-held into a translator so I can understand this guy." Once Tails was ready, Yacker convinced him and Sonic to save the Wisps after informing them of what was happening to his people. The trio thus began investigating the park's planets in search of captive Wisps,Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Sweet Mountain. "Sonic: If I was an alien in need of saving, where would I be?" who in turn provided Sonic with new Color Powers, Meanwhile, Yacker let Sonic and Tails in on Eggman's activities. Eventually, Yacker helped Sonic and Tails figure out that by destroying all the tractor beam generators, they could free the kidnapped planets, thus foiling Eggman's plan and allowing the Wisps to escape the doctor. s being restored to normal.]] Having already destroyed two generators, Sonic destroyed the remaining three and liberated the captive Wisps. Along the way, he and Tails also put a stop to Eggman's Nega-Wisp factory. The Wisps then joined Sonic and Tails in Tropical Resort to celebrate their victory.Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Tails: Looks like the aliens are happy to be going home too. Uh, I think we're in the middle of a party. / Sonic: The middle? We ARE the party. I think we're their guests of honor. / Tails: Totally." However, they had to cut their celebration short when Eggman accidently created a black hole that began consuming the Egg Mecha. During their subsequent showdown, Eggman tried using the Wisps against Sonic with his Nega-Wisp Armor, only for Sonic to harness the Wisps instead and defeat Eggman. Afterward, the Wisp race used their powers to save Sonic when the black hole swallowed him, restore the Nega-Wisps to normal, and neutralize the black hole before it could destroy Sonic's world. Visiting Sonic's world one last time with his people, Yacker said goodbye to Sonic and Tails before rejoining his kind as they returned their planets to their original places in the universe. After Eggman's amusement park was destroyed, the Nega-Mother Wisp appeared and went on a rampage. However, she was stopped and returned to normal by Super Sonic upon Yacker's request, allowing her to rejoin her children back home. ''Sonic Generations'' in a Wisp Capsule on Planet Wisp.]] In Sonic Generations, Modern Sonic and his counterpart Classic Sonic encountered some Wisps when their adventure through time and space took them to Planet Wisp/Tropical Resort during the time of the Wisp incident. Both Sonics made use of the Wisps during their mission to restore the damaged space in those areas, with Modern Sonic making use of the Orange Wisps/Cyan Wisps and Classic Sonic making use of the Pink Wisps/Red Wisps. Both Sonics were also greeted by some White Wisps when they began their trek across Planet Wisp. ''Sonic Lost World'' In Sonic Lost World, during his adventure on the Lost Hex, Sonic encountered several Wisps in Item Boxes who helped him out on his journey. Among the Wisps Sonic encountered were the Wisp breeds he knew, like the Cyan Wisps, Yellow Wisps, Red Wisps and Orange Wisps. He also encountered new breeds of Wisps, such as the Indigo Wisps, Crimson Wisps, Magenta Wisps, Ivory Wisps, Black Wisps, and Gray Wisps. ''Sonic Runners'' .]] In ''Sonic Runners, a White Wisp on Sonic's world was mistaken for a ghost by Animals, prompting Team Sonic to investigate it. While Team Sonic prepared a device for understanding the Wisp though, Dr. Eggman tried to capture him for its Hyper-go-on. Thankfully, the Wisp was saved by Team Sonic, and he apologized for scaring the Animals before revealing that other Wisps like himself had chosen to live on Sonic's world after Sonic saved them and were ready to help him and his friends anytime. In the time that followed, others Wisps got involved in both minor adventures and innocent escapades. Eggman would also occasionally target the Wisps to use them for world domination. Regardless of their issues, Team Sonic would show up every time to help them. ''Sonic Forces'' In Sonic Forces, Wisp Capsules containing Wisps could be found all over the planet. The Wisp found in these capsules included the Blue Wisps, Green Wisps, Indigo Wisps, Ivory Wisps, Red Wisps, Violet Wisps, White Wisps and Yellow Wisps. No explanation was given for the violet Nega-Wisps' return. ready to help Sonic and the Avatar inside Arsenal Pyramid.]] When the War to Take Back the Planet broke out, the Wisp Capsule-encased Wisps were used by the Resistance and their allies to combat the Eggman Army. During the war, a new type of weapon called the Wispon also made an appearance. The Wispons are different weapons that can harness the Wisps' Color Powers in new ways by enabling their abilities without triggering a transformation, and were used by the Resistance's soldiers. Known individuals that made use of the Wisps before and during the time of the War to Take Back the Planet were Sonic, the Avatar, and Shadow. The lands Sonic and Shadow travelled through only featured White Wisps. The Avatar on the other hand would encounter the other breeds of Wisps in the areas they traversed and use them to charge their different Wispons. Also, when Sonic and the Avatar teamed up on missions, the duo would encounter Wisps they both could use. ''Team Sonic Racing'' In Team Sonic Racing, the Wisps played a part in Dodon Pa's Grand Prix. For this event, the Wisps were put in Item Boxes and placed on the different racetracks. Once a racer collided with an Item Box, the Wisp would be transferred to the racer, who would be able to use the Wisp's Color Power offensively or defensively against other racers. The Wisps used for this power-up system included the Black Wisps, Blue Wisps, Crimson Wisps, Cyan Wisps, Ivory Wisps, Magenta Wisps, Orange Wisps, Pink Wisps, Gray Wisps, Red Wisps, Violet Wisps, White Wisps, Yellow Wisps and the new Jade Wisps. In addition, several Wisps from Planet Wisp could be seen watching the races at the Wisp Circuit while floating above the track. During one of the first races in the Grand Prix, Dr. Eggman showed up unannounced to race Team Sonic and Team Dark. To give himself an advantage, Eggman shamelessly used the Wisps on the racetrack against the other racers. However, Team Sonic, Team Dark, Team Rose and Team Vector soon joined forces and beat Eggman by using multiple Wisp powers against him at the same time.Team Sonic Racing One-shot, "Team Sonic Racing" Other game appearances ''Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games'' thumb|200px|right|The Wisps and the playable characters using the [[Final Color Blaster in Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.]] In Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, the Wisps make an appearance during the Dream Event "Sonic's Figure Skating Spectacular". At the beginning of the event, Yacker appears and asks the four participating characters to free his friends and defeat Rotatatron. As the player(s) proceed down the event's course, they will free Wisps from Wisp Capsules. When the player then has to defeat the Rotatatron, the Wisps will join up with the four characters to perform the Final Color Blaster, which deals the final blow to the Rotatatron. Afterward, Yacker and a large amount of White Wisps join the characters to celebrate the victory, where they will mimic the characters' movements as the player(s) continue with the event. List of Wisps In other media Archie Comics In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Wisps first appeared in the In Another Time, In Another Place reality, mimicing their roles in Sonic Colors. After the events of Worlds Collide though, the Wisps became an official part of the comics' main storyline. IDW Publishing In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by IDW Publishing, the Wisps appeared early on in the comics' story. In this media, their history are almost the same as in the games. They primarily serve as the fuel source for the various villages' Wispons. Reception Critics have given mixed opinions toward Wisps and their integration into the Sonic series. IGN's Arthur Gies called them "the big addition" to Sonic Colors, outshining its polished physics and controls. Dave McComb of Empire called them "cutesy" and "strange", while John Meyer of ''Wired found them "cuddly" and Dale North of Destructoid called them "a cute little alien race". Randy Nelson from Joystiq called them "plush" and speculated that they could easily lend their image to profitable merchandise. Positive attention has been directed at the variety of Wisps available in Sonic Colors and Sonic Lost World and at the variety of gameplay styles they brought to the titles: for example, Gies stated that "almost all of them add interesting quirks to Sonic's basic abilities." Reviewing the Nintendo DS version of Sonic Colors, Tim Turi from Informer stated that "each adds an interesting new gameplay mechanic" to the game. Gies and Turi also praised the ability to revisit old levels with Wisps unlocked afterwards. ''Nintendo Power's Steve Thomason identified them as "a truly interesting addition to the Sonic formula" amidst a series of missteps, and praised their "cleverly designed" variety.Thomason, Steve (November 2010). "True Colors". Nintendo Power. No. 260. pp. 78–81. Computer and Video Games writer Chris Scullion described Wisps in Sonic Lost World as "familiar power-ups that emulate mechanics in Mario's Wii adventures" as part of a larger, ambivalent point about the game being derivative of Super Mario Galaxy. However, control and pacing aspects of the Wisps in general, as well as of individual types, have been criticized: for example, Gies opined that "for almost every useful ability there is a complete dud" and bemoaned the Wii controls. Justin Speer from GameTrailers thought similarly and added that the Wisps "don't really feel like they belong". Hardcore Gamer Magazine's review of Sonic Lost World stated that none of the Wisps make satisfying use of the Wii U's gamepad. Chris Shilling of Eurogamer found them to "lead to clumsy touchscreen or gyro interludes that kill a level's pacing." Trivia *The Wisps' name comes from Tails' translation of a word in their language;Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Tails: He's from a race of beings called "Wisps."" other characters in the game simply refer to them as "aliens".Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Cubot: Yee-haw! Git along, li'l aliens!"Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Tropical Resort. "Sonic: I'll just stick with aliens if that's OK with everybody."Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Nintendo DS. Sega. "Dr. Eggman: Oh ho ho ho! After nabbing that giant alien, the mind-control cannon is nearly full! Now go herd up the rest of those aliens on the double!" **In the Wii version of Sonic Colors, the Wisps are only referred to by name in the Hint Rings and once by Tails in a cutscene. *The Red and the Violet Wisps are not shown in Sonic Colors' announcement trailer. This is most likely due to the fact that those two Wisps are only exclusive to the Nintendo DS version. *On the cover of the Wii version of Sonic Colors, the Blue, Green, Purple, and Pink Wisps are shown. On the Nintendo DS cover they are replaced with the version exclusive Red Wisp and Violet Wisp. *According to Cubot, the Wisps "smell good".Sonic Team (November 16, 2010). Sonic Colors. Wii. Sega. Area/Level: Ending sequence. "Cubot: Hey, remember when we were chasing all the little alien guys? What's up with those guys anyway? They sure were funny looking. Hahaha. Smelled good, though." *In one of the scrapped lines for Sonic Colors, Dr. Eggman says that the Wisps' Hyper-go-on power is even more powerful than the chaos energy. As chaos energy and Hyper-go-on have never been compared, this has never been officially confirmed. *In Sonic Colors, certain Wisps allow Sonic to use abilities similar to past abilities that he was able to do in past games on his own. For example, the Green Wisp allows Sonic to do the Light Speed Dash, and the Pink Wisp allows Sonic to perform the Spin Dash. *The only time they appear to speak native Earth languages is in the cutscene "A New Sonic Legend Begins" when Yacker is telling other Wisps about Sonic (Nintendo DS version only). However, this might be Wisp language translated for the player, as Tails is not there. References Category:Sonic the Hedgehog races Category:Fictional extraterrestrial species Category:Fictional power sources